RaceYa
Toy Cars for Teaching STEM

RaceYa uses customizable, radio-controlled race cars to teach kids about science and help them design the cars of the future. RaceYa approached Tomorrow Lab with a kid-tested, proof of concept car with the desire to create the next version to be a modular, building block-like car that can easily be integrated into a education curriculum.

With this in mind, we developed a design scheme that included a forward-thinking strategy for the specific component categories to focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through various car assemblies. Through our process, we developed a modular car platform with visual recognition, allowing modifiable placement of battery, motor, wheels, sensor, as well as a flexible body wrap and mounting points for that wrap. All fasteners were required to be removable, kid friendly, and thumb-tightenable.

01 — Industrial Design & Feature Strategy

Tomorrow Lab and RaceYa collaborated to develop a feature strategy that satisfied a kid’s need to play and a parent’s need for that play to be educational. We chose the following six elements to focus on because they enabled a large number of play-based curriculums with immediately noticeable effects when varied: Batteries, Gear Ratios, Weights and Body Wraps, Wheels and Tread, Suspension, Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Using our 3D printer, we physically prototyped each element multiple times to test its feasibility. Once all six elements were separately prototyped, we adopted a color-coordinated zone strategy, both to differentiate the functions of modular elements, as well as open up playing branding opportunities.

02 —Mechanical Engineering

In order to combine all six enabling features into one drop-in assembly, we first conducted a thorough teardown of a manufacturer supplied car. Because of the expected complexity of our design, we built an auto-updating CAD assembly to ensure proper gear meshing and to examine the physical dynamics of moving parts. We gave modular components a design language that spoke to their physical interactions to be more intuitive for the kids building the cars. The final versions of the car were assembled in-house from 3D printed and machined parts, as well as custom-milled PCBs (on the Other Mill) and cut plastic body wraps.

03 — Branding Touch Up

While updating the brand identity we wanted to focus on playfulness, education, and motion. The concept of “learning by doing” is core to the RaceYa brand. We tested different ways to communicate complicated systems, moving parts, and scientific elements with vibrant colors and wordmarks from the original brand. In the end, we went with a trefoil form knob found on the racecar as an icon that utilizes the negative space to capture the movement and number of parts.